


Bésame

by Mrs Gordo (MrsGordo)



Category: Angel The Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post NFA, Post-Shanshu, Work In Progress, no comics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 15:49:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18803431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsGordo/pseuds/Mrs%20Gordo
Summary: It's been a year since the events of NFA, Angel has shanshu-ed. Buffy and Angel both find themselves at a beautiful resort in Mexico. But they aren't there together.





	Bésame

She arrived at the hotel in Cabo San Lucas during what had to be the heat wave of the century. Her white linen sundress clung to her sweat-drenched body and what was supposed to be her sexy fun vacation dress had turned into something more closely resembling a wet rag. 

Her mood was slightly improved when she observed a friendly concierge approaching with a large pina colada.

“Buenos dias señorita.” He greeted her with a bright smile and handed her the ornately decorated alcoholic beverage.

“Hello.” Buffy smiled back and took an appreciative sip of her drink. “Check in?” She asked.

“Right this way.” He grabbed her bags and gestured to follow him. “So are you here on vacation miss?”

“Well, today I am.” She smiled back at him. She knew this wasn’t a vacation in the strictest sense. She had been called here to meet with the local slayer who lived in the small town of _Todos Santos_. The slayer was in charge of her own small but active Hellmouth. It was actually Faith who had convinced her to go all out and book this beautiful resort in hopes of squeezing in some downtime. ‘ _We deserve it B, we work our asses off. I’d be there with you if I could get away_.’ Buffy didn’t always agree with her sister slayer but on this, she had a point. After all, this gig didn’t really come with paid vacation time. 

They made their way across the open air corridor of the hotel. The resort was breathtaking perched on a bluff and overlooking the ocean. She took a nice deep breath of the salty air and was thankful that she didn’t have any work until tomorrow. She couldn’t remember the last time she had taken a moment to work on her tan.

“That is the Sea of Cortez, señorita.” The concierge said when he saw Buffy looking over the bluffs at the water. “It is said that to look upon the sunset over the Sea of Cortez is like falling in love.” He described passionately.

Buffy laughed a bit. “Yeah well, I’m not doing any of that. Love is complicated. Nope I’m here for the simple life. A tan and fruity drinks.” They laughed together as they entered the main lobby. But then as Buffy scanned the lobby her laugh abruptly came to a halt. She slowed her stride. She wasn’t sure it had been perfectly possible until this very moment but she began to sweat even more than she had already been sweating. 

It was _him_. How was this possible? She felt dizzy. She took a long sip of her Pina Colada and fanned herself. 

“Are you ok?” The concierge asked Buffy.

“No.” She answered without much thought. She snapped back into reality. “I - um… I need to use the restroom. Can I leave my bags with you?”

“Absolutely. We will have your bags sent up.” Buffy started walking quickly to find a good place to hide. “If you need anything my name is Diego.” He called out to her. Buffy found hall area where she was out of his sights.

She observed him from afar. He was standing near the check-in counter. She had to do a second and third take. Was it really him? He was wearing a white cubavera shirt and light khaki pants. That didn’t seem like him. Where was the black? Where was the coat? 

Oh but of course it was him. She would know him anywhere. Those broad shoulders, the curve of his back, his penetrating brown eyes, his lips… _Ok get a hold of yourself, Buffy_. She chided herself. _You aren’t some lovesick fool._

But she couldn’t help herself from staring. He was --- human. She had known, of course, for a while now. He had written to tell her - in the old fashion paper and envelope way. But seeing him with her own eyes was different. He was standing with the sun shining brightly on him through the lobby windows and suddenly she had the strangest case of deja vu which was silly. She had never seen Angel in the sun. And yet something about this sight of him looked familiar.

After the shock of seeing him wore off, she was suddenly aware of the petite blonde that he was conversing with in a very intimate manner. Ugh, what is with him and blondes, she thought to herself. He had his hands on her shoulders and he was smiling down on her. She was stunning too. Her dress wasn’t soaked in sweat for one. She had big bright blue eyes and she had a bright smile. This woman looked like she was over-the-moon in love. Just her luck. She had traveled halfway across the world and ended up in a hotel with Angel and his beautiful girlfriend.

She turned away and leaned back in a huff against the cold marble walls. She wished the wall would swallow her up so she could avoid this. It was a big resort what were the chances she would run into him? She pondered. If she just waited until he left maybe she could avoid any awkward -

“- Buffy?” 

_Shit_ , she thought. Well, no avoiding this now. She turned towards him. “Angel.” She breathed out. Buffy tried to keep her voice calm and steady. “Wow, what a surprise. Small world huh?”

He smiled. A big toothy smile. She looked at him a bit puzzled. Was this _her_ Angel? He looked lighter almost. Younger even, although she knew that wasn’t possible. 

“You look -”

“I look sweaty and like I’ve been traveling for 14 plus hours. I know.” Buffy deflected self-consciously running her hands through her hair. She had a sudden flashback to their first date a million years ago when she had arrived with grass in her hair and pumpkin guts on her pants. Couldn’t she for once run into him when she was looking fabulous? Life was unfair.

“I was going to say great.” He gave her a nervous chuckle. He looked down and put his hands in his pockets. And there he was, she thought. There was her Angel. The gesture felt so familiar she felt a pang of longing at the pit of her stomach.

She looked around and behind him but didn’t see the blonde woman. She was thankful. No need to make this any more awkward. “You here with someone?” She couldn’t be sure why she asked that. She had just seen him what was the use of pointing out the obvious?

“Uh, yeah.” He said.

“You?”

“Yes! My boyfriend.” She blurted out before she even knew what she was saying. She winced. _What the hell? Where did that come from?_ She just needed to be far away from him. And fast before she made up a fake engagement and babies. 

Angel looked around and back at her with some confusion. He was about to say something when she cut him off. 

“Well, I better - go check in.” She extended her hand for a handshake and Angel looked at it strangely. But eventually shook it. He ran his thumb over the top of her hand and it sent a shiver down her spine. She pulled her hand away and shuffled awkwardly to make her way around his large imposing body. God, had he always been so sturdy looking? She turned back to him and said, “I’ll … umm… I guess I’ll see ya. Have fun with your - umm - enjoy the...” she tripped slightly as she walked and caught herself. She laughed it off. “the - thing.” She gestured around them. _Oh God kill me now_ , she thought.

“Well -” Angel gave Buffy a puzzled look. He ran a hand through his hair. “Okay?” He finished quietly.

She turned around and walked briskly towards the counter. She begged the check-in clerk to give her a room key as fast as possible claiming she had eaten a questionable taco on the way over. She forced herself not to turn around and check if he was still there. Instead, she got her key and hurried up to her room. 

+++

She paced in her room. Ok here was the deal. She was in a beautiful resort in Mexico. And so what if her ex _happens_ to be at this same hotel, looking all hot and human and with _no curse_ but _with_ his girlfriend. What’s the big? What if she had run into that Scott guy she dated in high school? What was his last name Helms? Anyway, the point was, would she have stayed hidden in her hotel room when she could be out enjoying this beautiful resort? Of course not! 

She walked over to her suitcase with determination and pulled out her bathing suit. 

And sure, Scott Heinz wasn’t Angel. But he was just an ex, right? Ok, maybe he was an ex she still thought of all of the time. She would wonder where he was and how he was and if he wanted her. And maybe when Giles was droning on about whatever demon of the week they were fighting she would imagine her reunion with Angel after many years. And maybe she had thought of what their kids would look like and had weighed the options of the best places for them to live. Ugh, ok who was she kidding? Angel was no Scott Hunt. 

She sat hard on the bed, deflated. She looked down at her hands and examined her nails. On top of this greek tragedy, her cuticle beds looked horrible. It had been a few apocalypsi since she last had time to get her nails done. And just then she had the great idea of making her way down to the spa. _No way Angel would be there._

+++

She walked into the luxurious spa. The sound of water fixtures filled the reception area and the scent of lavender assaulted her. The receptionist turned around with a big smile on her face.

“Good day.” She greeted Buffy in a hushed tone with only a hint of an accent. “How can we provide you with outstanding service today?”

“Just a mani please.” Buffy responded.

“Sure, right this way.”

She led Buffy over to the salon. This room was brighter and louder than the spa. The conversations between beauticians and customers filled the room. She offered Buffy a refreshing cucumber water, which Buffy accepted. Then she introduced her to the beautician.

“This is Rosa. She will be your manicure specialist today.”

Rosa gave Buffy a friendly smile which Buffy returned. She sat down in front of Rosa and started blabbing about her cuticles and the color she was thinking of using. All the while, Rosa smiled nervously and nodded along. Buffy realized in short order that English wasn’t her first language. She actually breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God for small favors. She wasn’t really in the mood to carry on a long conversation given her current predicament.

Ten minutes later, Rosa had Buffy’s hands in a lavender paraffin wax. Buffy tried to relax. Maybe it was the refreshing cucumber water or the soothing smells but she was starting to feel a little zen. So zen, in fact, that it took her way too long to realize that Angel’s girlfriend had been seated just a few stations to the right of her for a manicure of her own. Buffy’s body stiffened. _Shit_. She moved to push back from the table, contemplating an escape plan. But her hands were wrapped in plastic bags filled with hot wax. Rosa gave Buffy a startled look.

“Okay?” Rosa asked confused.

Buffy swallowed hard and nodded. She pushed her chair back in. _Now is no time to create a scene, Buffy. Keep it together_. She took a deep breath and tried to shake it off. But Buffy found herself looking at the woman from the corner of her eyes. Carefully making sure she wasn't making it obvious. She had shorter bouncier hair than Buffy had at the moment. She had a friendly face. She exuded happiness. 

“It’s tomorrow afternoon.” Buffy overheard the blonde woman. _What was tomorrow? She had missed that part_. “I’m not even usually into these kinds of things but when you fall in love suddenly these things start to matter right?”

“How did you two meet?” Buffy overheard her Beautician ask her.

The blonde smiled. “We met in L.A. We are in a similar line of work. He well he had just had a rather messy breakup and I thought he was still hung up on her. So we became good friends but then we realized there was something more. He’s such a good man. And he’s a fighter. Life hasn’t always been easy for him. He doesn’t have a lot of family. Neither of us does actually.” 

_Well this is annoying._ This lady really loved and admired Angel. And she clearly knew him very well. Because all of the things she said were true. But it didn’t make this any easier to hear. Buffy had always felt in her heart of hearts that she and Angel belonged to each other. So to hear another woman talk about him so intimately. It made her want to punch something hard.

Rosa must have noticed Buffy’s mood because she kept glancing nervously at her while she painted her nails in a pale shimmery pink. Picking up her pace slightly.

“- And that’s why the wedding is so small. Just a few of our close friends.” She heard the woman say.

 _Wedding? Oh my God. Angel was getting married? This wasn’t just some woman he was dating it was the woman that was getting happily ever after with him?_ Buffy’s heart sank. She quickly pulled her hand away from Rosa who was finishing up her right hand.

“I have to go.” Buffy whispered to Rosa. She made a shushing gesture in hopes that Rosa would understand and let her go.

“But -?” Rosa gave Buffy a questioning look and pointed at the unfinished hand as Buffy sat up.

“It’s ok. Thank you. I have to -” Buffy backed away from Rosa and then quickly turned around not bothering to finish her sentence. She wasn’t even sure what the end of that sentence was. She had lost the love of her life for good. What would she do now? Wallow in a pit of despair? Eat a gallon of chocolate ice cream while watching Hope Floats? There was no good way to finish this sentence. 

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired by the song Bésame Mucho. 
> 
> The lyrics are:  
> Bésame, bésame mucho  
> Como si fuera ésta noche  
> La última vez  
> Bésame, bésame mucho  
> Que tengo miedo a perderte  
> Perderte después
> 
> Translation (this is hard because it translates poorly and loses some of the poetry but roughly…)  
> Kiss me, Kiss me a lot.  
> As if tonight  
> Was the last time.  
> Kiss me, Kiss me a lot.  
> Because I am afraid to lose you  
> To lose you afterwards.
> 
> ***  
> This is a work in progress (even though I promised I would never do that again) and has not been beta-ed. I'm just having fun with this one and taking it at a slow pace. I hope you all enjoy!


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